‘A club like Newcastle would be my dream,’ Dirk Kuyt admitted in the summer of 2006. The then 25-year-old had just finished a campaign with Feyenoord where he netted 22 goals for the Dutch side and Newcastle were leading the line for his signature.

In the end and rather ironically, it would be Rafa Benitez at Liverpool who would win the race.

Fast forward 11 years, Benitez is in charge at Newcastle, and the now 35-year-old Kuyt has just retired from football after leading Feyenoord to the Dutch title.

In football, you hear many stories of ‘what might have been’ - the deals that were all but completed but for some reason just never made it over the line.

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For Newcastle fans a favourite one is that of Dele Alli. The Magpies were said to be in pole position to sign the midfielder from MK Dons but word has it there was disagreement over the price. Tottenham stepped in, signed him for £5 million and Alli is now one of the most highly-rated players in the Premier League.

The Alli story can be disputed, no doubt the facts distorted but the tales about Dirk Kuyt - there’s no doubt that United were front in the queue.

Glenn Roeder was in charge and had just guided his side to a 7th-place finish after replacing Graeme Souness in February.

Kuyt was with Holland for the World Cup in Germany and Roeder admitted he was heading out to see him, telling the Chronicle: “He is certainly one of several players we are looking at and I am looking forward to seeing him in Germany.”

A month later Kuyt was standing with Benitez holding aloft a Liverpool scarf after securing a £10 million deal.

Benitez spoke of Kuyt’s ‘intelligence’, ‘finishing’ and work effort - something the Spaniard will be looking for this summer as he looks to build a United squad capable of competing in the Premier League.

For United they missed out on one of the best Dutch players of the last decade and he would of course come back to haunt the Magpies. His first goal for Liverpool would come against United at Anfield in September and he would go on to score another five goals against the Magpies before his departure in 2012.

He left Anfield with a League Cup medal and 71 goals to his name. Going on to win the league and cup in Turkey with Fenerbahce before heading home to Feyenoord to secure their first title in 18 years - Kuyt has had a glittering career.

But beyond the medals and goals to his name - he’ll be remembered as a player with superb work ethic and a real eye for goal and Benitez will know that if he can find someone in Kuyt’s mould for United this summer, it’s not a bad player to have on board.